Siding underlay strip



Nov. 29, 1955 A. w. HERBES SIDING UNDERLAY STRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 8 1951 Nov. 29, 1955 A. w. HERBES 2,724,872

SIDING UNDERLAY STRIP Filed Dec. 8 1 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s N Q m u tUnited States Patent O "ice SIDING UNDERLAY STRIP Ambrose W. Herbes,Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor to The Ruberoid Co New York, N. Y., acorporation of New Jersey a Application December 8, 1951, Serial No.260,624;

4 Claims. (21. 2o--s This invention relates to a siding underlay stripfor use in the application of asbestos-cement siding elements, or thelike, to the outer side walls of building structures.

According to the present practice of applying asbestoscement siding itis now customary first to cover the wall surface with sheets ofinsulating felt or building paper, and then to nail waterproof feltstrips, such as vertical strips of roofing felt or the like, at theplaces where the ends of adjacent elements of each course will abut soas to protect against leakage at the joints.

Use of my underlay strips eliminates the need of applying a wallcovering of insulating felt and of nailing separate waterproof stripsunder the joints, thus effecting an economy in the cost of application.

Other advantages that arise from the use of my underlay strips are;

(1) That they effect a heavy shadow-line under the lower edge of thesiding elements of each overlying course to enhance the attractiveappearance of the siding when applied and to effect a simulation ofmassiveness.

(2) That they automatically cant the siding elements to the desireddegree of slant.

(3) They afford self-contained means for preventing leakage at thejoints between the siding elements of each course.

(4) They provide means whereby moisture, whether caused by condensationor otherwise, that might ordinarily be entrapped under the sidingelements can readily escape.

(5) They permit breathing of the walls of the structure to which theyare applied, and avoid formation of objectionable vapor barrier.

(6) They serve to cushion the rigid siding elements, thus avoiding orminimizing breakage of said elements during application, and resultingin a siding wall that has greatly increased resistance to shock.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a siding underlay strip embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a side wall showing the manner ofapplication of the underlay strips and the asbestos-cement sidingelements of several courses; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the wall, on an enlarged scale, taken onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The siding underlay 10 is in the form of a rectangular strip ofconsiderably greater length than width. In practice I have found thatstrips measuring approximately 12" x 36" may be conveniently made andhandled. The strip consists of a felt base 11 saturated or impregnatedwith a waterproofing substance such as asphalt or other bituminoussubstance, and having a coating 12 on its upper surface of a likesubstance but usually of a different consistency. The coating may be,and preferably is, faced on its surface with mineral granules of thekind used on asphalt roofings. For the sake of clarity of illustrationthe granules are not shown on the drawings. Moreover,

2,724,872 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 2 if desired, the lower surface of thefelt base may also be coated.

The lower end portion 13 of the coated upper surface is provided with aseries of parallel longitudinal or horizontal ridges 14, and interveningspaces or channels 15, extending lengthwise of the-strip. The ridges, asbest seen in Figs. 2 and 4-, are graduated in height, being highest atthe lower or bottom edge 16 and being gradu ally reduced in heighttoward the upper edge of portion 13 so as to provide a taper thatautomatically determines the cant or slant of the siding elements '19when they are laid as hereinafter described. Transverse or verticalgrooves 17 are formed at intervals through the tapering series of ridges14. In a strip of 12" Width the series of ridges extend upward from thelower edge a distance of about 5". With such a strip the thickness atthe lowermost ridge is about to at the uppermost ridge about The portion18 of the strip above the uppermost ridge is of substantially uniformthickness throughout.

On referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that in covering the sideWall 20 of the building structure, the strips 10 are applied so thattheir thick, lower, butt edges 16 overlap the heads or upper edges ofthe next lower course of siding element 19 to an extent of approximately1%". The next upper course of siding elements is then applied directlyover, and in contact with, the underlay strips 10, allowing the usualheadlap of about 1 /2", thus giving the siding elements of each uppercourse a drip edge of about A, as seen in Fig. 4.

The asbestos-cement siding elements 19 are each fastened at their uppercorners by nails 21, the heads of which nails are covered by overlappingportions of strips and siding elements of the next upper course. Thelower portions of each siding element are fastened by face nails 22.These nails are driven so as to clear the upper edge of the sidingelements of the next lower course as shown in Fig. 4.

As seen in Fig. 3, the underlay strips 10 are preferably applied toprovide gaps 23 between the edges of adjacent strips so as to permit thewall structure to breathe and prevent formation of a vapor barrier. Byreason of the ridges 14, channels 15, and grooves 17 at the lower,tapered end portion 13 of each underlay strip 10, the siding structureas a whole has increased insulating properties, is highly shockresistant, and provides a plurality of vents through which any entrappedmoisture can readily escape and will drain off to the outside. It willbe observed that a portion of the strips 10 underlie the joints betweenthe abutting edges of the siding elements 19 of each course so as'effectually to prevent any leakage of water through the joints.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that various modifications in thedetails thereof may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A siding underlay strip, comprising a substantially rectangular stripof felted fibrous material saturated and coated on one surface withbituminous waterproofing substances, the lower portion of said surfaceof the strip having a series of longitudinal ridges thereon extendinglengthwise thereof, said ridges being gradually decreased in height fromthe lowermost ridge to the uppermost one, the crests of said ridgeslying in a gradient plane that descends from the lowermost ridge towardthe upper portion of the strip, the ridges being intersected at spacedintervals by substantially transverse grooves that extend widthwise ofthe strip through the ridged portion.

2. A siding underlay strip, comprising a substantially rectangular stripof roofing felt saturated and coated on one surface with bituminouswaterproofing substances, the coating on thelower portion of saidsurface of the strip providing a series oftsubstantially parallel spacedlongitudinal ridges, said ridges being uniformly graduated in heightwith the lowermost ridge of greatest height and the uppermost one ofleast height, and a plurality of'substantially transverse groovesextending widthwise of the strip and intersecting the series of ridgesat spaced intervals.

3. A siding underlay strip comprising a substantially rectangular stripof flexible waterproof material of greater length than width and ofsubstantially uniform thickness, said strip having on the lower portionof one face a series of spaced ridges extending lengthwise thereof, saidridges being successively and regularly decreased in height from thelowermost to the uppermost one, and a series of grooves extendingwidthwise of the strip through the said lower portion to intersect theridges at spaced points.

4. A siding underlay strip comprising a substantially rectangular stripof waterproofed felt of greater length than Width and of substantiallyuniform thickness, said strip having on the lower portion of one face aseries of parallel ridges extending lengthwise thereof, said ridgesbeing regularly decreased in height from the lowermost to the uppermostone, and a series of grooves extending widthwise of the strip throughthe said lower portion to intersect the ridges at spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS676,183 Ferres June 11, 1901 2,168,217 Kirschbraun Aug. 1, 19392,241,603 Kirschbraun May 13, 1941 2,266,599 Hasenburger et a1 Dec. 16,1941 2,276,170 Elmendorf Mar. 10, 1942

